1

Danish Forestry Extension, Senior Consultant Wood for Energy. Email: woodenergy@gmail.com.
Wood is usually paid for per tonne.
Harvesters record production in
terms of m
3
over bark.
Chip volume is expressed in m
3
loose volume.
The amount of energy in wood
chips is the most important factor
and is depends largely on moisture
content.
Units, conversion factors and
formulae for wood for energy
Pieter D. Kofman
1
Introduction
The production of energy from wood biomass is becoming increasingly important
in Ireland. However, there is considerable confusion about the various units used
in the sector. The forest owner is usually paid by the tonne for the wood removed,
while a harvester records its production volume in solid cubic metres (over bark).
Once the wood fibre is chipped, the volume of chips is expressed in cubic metres
(loose volume). What is most important is the amount of energy that is contained
in those chips. This depends mostly on moisture content. Most people know how
much oil, gas, electricity or peat they use to heat their home, but what is the wood
equivalent?
This COFORD Connects note explains the conversion factors commonly used in
the Irish wood biomass sector.
Harvesting / Transportation No. 21
COFORD 2010
Wood is usually paid for per tonne, whereas
chips are sold according to volume,
measured in m
3
loose volume.
COFORD
Dept. Agriculture, Fisheries & Food
Agriculture House, Kildare Street
Dublin 2, Ireland
Telephone: +353 1 607 2487
Email: info@coford.ie
http://www.coford.ie
Units
The most commonly used unit for the measurement of wood
biomass is the cubic metre solid volume (m
3 s
). In Ireland,
this usually includes bark (expressed as over bark volume).
By measuring the mid-diameter and the length of a piece of
timber, the volume of a log can be calculated in cubic
metres (m
3
). An approximation of this volume can be found
by using the formula:
(0,25**D
2
*L) = V m
3 s
where D is the diameter in m (over bark), L is the length in
m and V is the volume. can be approximated by dividing
22
/
7
, in which case the formula can be expressed as:
(0.7857*D
2
*L) = V m
3 s
When logs are stacked there is air space between them; by
measuring the length, height and width of the stack the m
3
stacked volume (m
3 st
) can be calculated. This amount of
wood can then be converted to solid volume (m
3 s
) by
assessing:
1. the quality of the stacking,
2. the length of the logs,
3. the straightness of the logs,
4. the quality of the delimbing.
For conifer pulpwood, a factor of 0.60 is normally used to
calculate the amount of solid timber present in a stack of
roundwood. However, this factor can vary between 0.48 and
0.65. Using the lower factor implies the presence of crooked
and/or long, poorly delimbed or badly stacked logs; while
the higher factor implies logs that are short, well delimbed,
straight, and neatly stacked.
After wood is chipped, it is then measured in cubic metres
loose volume (m
3 lv
). The air space between the particles
increases substantially, so the conversion factor becomes
much lower. The factor used depends mostly on the size and
quality of the chips produced. The smaller the chips and the
lower the quality, the lower the conversion factor - the
conversion factor for normal forest chip varies from 0.35 to
0.37. A factor of 0.36 has been used in the calculations.
Pulpwood is often sold by the tonne, which is easy to
measure on a weighbridge. However, the weight of logs is
highly dependent on moisture content. Wood that has been
standing at the roadside for several weeks in spring or
summer can lose between 10 and 20% of its original
moisture content. Conversion factors are used to convert
tonnes to m
3
solid volume. The factor used for such
calculations depends not only on moisture content, but also
on tree species, site type and silviculture.
Tree species, site type and silviculture largely determine the
basic density of wood. This is defined as the amount of dry
matter present in a solid cubic metre of timber at 0%
moisture content. Slow growing Sitka spruce will have an
average basic density of 420 kg/m
3 s
, while fast grown Sitka
spruce has an average basic density of only 350 kg/m
3 s
. For
broadleaves like oak and beech, the basic density is much
higher. The ForestEnergy programme showed that the basic
density of energy chips varies greatly, but the average is
380 kg/m
3 s
. This figure includes bark and branch material.
Bulk density is the weight of a cubic metre of loose volume
(lv) of chips. This varies with the moisture content of the
chips. If an average basic density of 380 kg/m
3 s
is assumed,
then the bulk density of Sitka spruce chips can vary from
206 kg/m
3 lv
at 30% moisture content to 320 kg/m
3 lv
at 55%
moisture content.
The energy content of wood fibre is expressed in GJ
(2)
or in
MWh
(3,4)
. All wood has roughly the same gross calorific
value per tonne dry matter. This is 19.2 GJ/tonne for
conifers and 19.0 GJ/tonne for broadleaves
(5)
.
The net energy content of wood fuel depends greatly on its
moisture content. For conifers, the net calorific value per
tonne can be calculated using the formula:
NCV= 19.2-(0.2164*MC)= x GJ/tonne
Moisture content (MC) is expressed as a percentage (e.g.
45%) and not as a proportion (e.g. 0.45).
Conversions - wood
If the basic density of wood fibre is known, then all the
other units can be calculated from that and conversion
factors as detailed above.
As an example, the calculations are illustrated for Sitka
spruce with a basic density of 380 kg/m
3 s
and starting
moisture content levels of 30 and 55% in Figures 1 and 2.
2
GJ: Giga Joules.
3
MWh: Mega Watt hours.
4
To convert from GJ to MWh, divide the amount of Giga Joules by 3.6.
5
Coniferous wood contains resins which add to its calorific value.
Figure 1: Conversion chips at 30% moisture content.
Figure 2: Conversion chips at 55% moisture content.
Conversions - fossil fuels
The energy content of wood biomass varies greatly
depending on its moisture content. In Table 1 the energy
content, tonnes, m
3
solid wood and m
3
loose volume are
shown for a typical volume of fossil fuels such as oil,
natural gas, coal, peat briquettes, electricity and for wood
pellets.
It is important to note that not every boiler can handle every
moisture content. Therefore, values are shown for a dry fuel
boiler (25 or 30% moisture content) for a medium moisture
content boiler (45% moisture content) and for a wet fuel
boiler (55% moisture content).
By multiplying the figures from Table 1 by actual fossil fuel
consumption, one can calculate the amount of wood fuel
needed to replace that amount of fossil fuel.
Note: The use of trade, firm or corporation names in this publication is for the information of the reader. Such use does not constitute an official endorsement,
or approval by COFORD of any product or service to the exclusion of others that may be suitable. Every effort is made to provide accurate and useful
information. However, COFORD assumes no legal liability for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process
disclosed herein or for any loss or damage howsoever arising as a result of use, or reliance, on this information.
Table 1: The amount of wood fuel needed to replace a standard amount of fossil fuel dependent on the moisture content the
boiler is capable of handling.
Fuel Wood pellets Wood chips 25% Wood chips 30% Wood chips 45% Wood chips 55%
Energy content GJ/ton 17.46 GJ 13.64 GJ 12.57 GJ 9.35 GJ 7.21 GJ
Energy content MWh/ton 4.85 MWh 3.79 MWh 3.49 MWh 2.59 MWh 2.00 MWh
Oil (1,000 litres) 36 GJ/10 MWh 2.06 ton 2.64 ton 2.86 ton 3.85 ton 4.99 ton
5.20 m
3 s
5.26 m
3 s
5.58 m
3 s
5.89 m
3 s
3.16 m
3 lv
13.67 m
3 lv
13.83 m
3 lv
14.67 m
3 lv
15.49 m
3 lv
Natural gas (1,000 m
3
) 39 GJ/10.83 MWh 2.24 ton 2.86 ton 3.10 ton 4.17 ton 5.41 ton
5.63 m
3 s
5.70 m
3 s
6.05 m
3 s
6.38 m
3 s
3.45 m
3 lv
14.81 m
3 lv
15.00 m
3 lv
15.90 m
3 lv
16.87 m
3 lv
Coal, anthracite (1 ton) 27 GJ/7.5 MWh 1.55 t 1.98 ton 2.14 ton 2.89 ton 3.74 ton
3.90 m
3 s
3.93 m
3 s
4.19 m
3 s
4.41 m
3 s
2.38 m
3 lv
10.25 m
3 lv
10.35 m
3 lv
11.02 m
3 lv
11.59 m
3 lv
Peat briquettes (1 ton) 17.7 GJ/4.91 MWh 1.01 ton 1.29 ton 1.41 ton 1.89 ton 2.45 ton
2.54 m
3 s
2.59 m
3 lv
2.74 m
3 s
2.89 m
3 s
1.56 m
3 lv
6.68 m
3 lv
6.81 m
3 lv
7.20 m
3 lv
7.60 m
3 lv
Electricity (1,000 kWh) 3.6 GJ/1 MWh 0.21 ton 0.26 ton 0.29 ton 0.38 ton 0.50 ton
0.52 m
3 s
0.53 m
3 s
0.56 m
3 s
0.59 m
3 s
0.31 m
3 lv
1.36 m
3 lv
1.39 m
3 lv
1.47 m
3 lv
1.55 m
3 lv
Wood pellets (1 ton) 17.46 GJ/4.85 MWh 1 ton 1.28 ton 1.39 ton 1.87 ton 2.42 ton
2.52 m
3 s
2.55 m
3 s
2.71 m
3 s
2.85 m
3 s
1.54 m
3 lv
6.63 m
3 lv
6.70 m
3 lv
7.12 m
3 lv
7.49 m
3 lv
For information and a free on-line advisory service on the wood energy supply chain,
the quality of wood fuels and internal handling visit www.woodenergy.ie